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Education

LightHouse News

This Wednesday – Jobsite Conversation Series

Join us this Wednesday, July 20, for the next visit in our Jobsite Conversation series. We will visit San Francisco City Hall and chat with Jonathan Lyens, who serves as a Fiscal & Policy Assistant in the Office of Public Policy and Finance for San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee.

Jonathan has also worked in the administration of former Mayor Gavin Newsom. He joined the Mayor’s office in December of 2007 after working for two years in the Bay Area non-profit sector. Jonathan has worked on numerous political campaigns at the local, state and federal levels. He serves on the board of directors of the Richmond District Neighborhood Center and is a member of the San Francisco FDR Democratic Club for people with disabilities. He holds a Master’s in Public Administration from East Carolina University.

Jonathan has also arranged a tour for us of City Hall with Ellen Schumer, long-time head of the City Hall docent program. Lunch will be provided.

Sign up now! Space is limited so please RSVP by Tuesday, July 19. Contact contact Rich Russo at 415-694-7352 or rrusso@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

If you are a jobseeker and would like to meet and learn from some of the Bay Area’s most successful blind professionals, we invite you to join us.  Please contact Rich Russo at 415-694-7352 or rrusso@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

LightHouse News

Learn About SFSU Rehabilitation Counseling Program at Meetings in July, August

The Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling Training Program (RCTP) at San Francisco State University prepares professionals to provide counseling services to individuals with a wide array of disabilities and chronic illnesses.

The RCTP degree prepares students to work directly with clients or in supervisory positions in nonprofit and for-profit agencies, including such settings as schools, colleges and universities; the Department of Rehabilitation; the Veteran’s Administration; mental health agencies; and a wide array of community-based organizations.

The RCTP will be accepting applications for the fall 2012 semester in January 2012. Please visit the department website in late summer to view the 2012 application, deadline and directions. In the meantime, please consider attending a Rehabilitation Counseling Information Meeting to learn more about the program. Meetings will be held on the following dates:

Wednesday, July 27 from noon to 1 p.m.
Thursday, July 28 from 6 to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, August 17 from noon to 1 p.m.
Thursday, August 18 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Location: Burk Hall 312, SFSU Main Campus

Please RSVP to rehabilitationcouns@gmail.com with your name and the date when you plan to attend. If you have immediate questions, please contact Dr. Julie Chronister at jchronis@sfsu.edu.

To request accommodations for this meeting, please contact the SFSU Disability Programs and Resources Center at dprc@sfsu.edu; phone: 415-338-2472; or TTY: 415-338-2472. You may also visit http://www.sfsu.edu/~dprc/student.html.

Directions to the campus and a campus map can be found here.

For more information about the program, please go to http://counseling.sfsu.edu/ and http://counseling.sfsu.edu/rehabCoun.aspx. Please also visit the Rehabilitation Student Association website.

LightHouse News

Public Commentary Needed – Obtaining Accessible Instructional Materials While in College and Graduate School

On July 11 and 12, 2011, members of the Advisory Commission on Accessible Instructional Materials in Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities (AIM Commission) will convene for their fourth in-person meeting. AIM Commission members are interested in gathering public commentary on stakeholders’ personal experiences related to obtaining instructional materials in the postsecondary environment.

The meeting and public hearing are open to the public and press.

Attend the meetings in person or online, or submit your commentary by phone or email. Additional details regarding the meeting and public hearing are as follows:

The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Seattle in Seattle, Washington in conjunction with the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) annual conference.  AIM Commission members will review and discuss a draft of the AIM Commission’s report that will be submitted to Congress in the fall of 2011. On the evening of Tuesday, July 12, 2011, AIM Commission members will hold a public commentary session for all interested stakeholders, including students, Disability Service/ADA Coordinators, faculty, and other members of the university community.

WHERE: The Sheraton Seattle, 1400 6th Avenue, Seattle, Washington  98101

MEETING DATES:
Commission Meeting: July 11-12, 2011
Public Hearing: July 12, 2011

MEETING TIMES:

July 11: The open commission meeting will occur from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (PDT)

July 12: The open commission meeting will occur from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (PDT)

July 12: The public hearing will take place from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (PDT)

Participants who wish to comment at the public hearing in person or via telephone are encouraged to register in advance by calling Janet Gronneberg at the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) at 781-245-2212 (voice) or 781- 245-9320 (TTY) or by emailing her at jgronneberg@cast.org by June 30, 2011.

The submission of written public testimony is also highly encouraged and can be submitted to AIMCommission@ed.gov.

The AIM Commission meeting and public hearing can be accessed remotely through the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) webinar system. Please click on the link below that corresponds with the correct time and date of the meeting:

Monday, July 11 (8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. PDT): https://aimpsc.ilinc.com/join/yvbmysr

Tuesday, July 12 (8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. PDT): https://aimpsc.ilinc.com/join/bbmtzsh

Tuesday, July 12 (3:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. PDT): https://aimpsc.ilinc.com/join/yvbmyjr

Established by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, the AIM Commission has brought together government leaders, representatives from the publishing industry, individuals with print disabilities, representatives from two- and four-year institutions of higher education and leaders in accessible technology. The AIM Commission is charged with studying the current state of accessible materials for students with disabilities in postsecondary education and making recommendations to the Secretary of Education and the relevant authorizing committees in Congress for improving access to and the distribution of instructional materials in accessible formats.

 

 

Resources in the Community

Educational Opportunity – Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling Training Program

Dear Potential Student:

Hello! Have you thought about returning to school for a master’s degree? Are you interested in establishing a fulfilling career in the counseling profession? The Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling Training Program (RCTP) at San Francisco State University prepares professionals to provide empathic, responsive and multicultural competent counseling services to individuals with a wide array of disabilities and chronic illnesses. Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in a human service-related area. The RCTP degree prepares students to work directly with clients or in supervisory positions in nonprofit and for profit agencies including such settings as schools, colleges and universities, the Department of Rehabilitation, the Veteran’s Administration, mental health agencies, and a wide array of community-based organizations. Below are some highlights of our program:

 

§  Scholarships in the amount of $5900 available

§  Opportunity for training in other specializations (school, college, career, MFT, gerontology)

§  60 unit program (2-3 years) + 2 years field experience

§  Positions students for becoming Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRC)

§  Positions students for becoming Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC)

§  Offers extensive network with Bay Area Rehabilitation Agencies and Professionals

§  Strong emphasis on multicultural competent counseling and community inclusion

§  Supportive Rehabilitation Student Association

 

To learn more about our program please go to our department and program websites: http://counseling.sfsu.edu/ and http://counseling.sfsu.edu/rehabCoun.aspx. Please also visit our Rehabilitation Student Association website @  http://www.rsasfsu.com/.

 

The RCTP will be accepting applications for the fall 2012 semester mid-January 2012. Please visit our department website in the late summer to view the 2012 application, deadline, and directions. In the meantime, please consider attending a Rehabilitation Counseling Information Meeting to learn more about our program. Information Meetings will be held on the following dates:

§  Wednesday July 27th from Noon – 1pm

§  Thursday July 28th from 6-7pm

§  Wednesday August 17th from Noon – 1pm

§  Thursday August 18th from 6-7pm

*Location: Burk Hall 312, SFSU Main Campus*

Please RSVP to this email address: rehabilitationcouns@gmail.com with your name and the date to which you plan to attend. If you have immediate questions that you would like answered please contact Dr. Julie Chronister @ jchronis@sfsu.edu

If you need accommodations for this meeting please contact SFSU Disability Programs and Resources Center @  dprc@sfsu.edu; phone 415 338-2472; TTY: 415 338 2472. You may also visit their website @ http://www.sfsu.edu/~dprc/student.html

Directions to the campus and campus map can be found at: http://www.sfsu.edu/~parking/directions/

We look forward to meeting you!

 

Resources in the Community

DRA Looking Into Cuts to Student Disability Services

Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a non-profit legal center, is investigating complaints concerning cuts in services for students with disabilities in the California Community College system, the California State University system and the University of California system.

The affected services include:

Note-Taking Services
Availability of Documents in Alternative Formats
Mobility Assistance
Sign Language Interpreting
Assistive Computer Labs
Other Essential Accommodations

If you have recently had your request for accommodations denied, have experienced significant delays in obtaining accommodations, or know of individuals who have experienced such problems, please contact:

Kara Werner at kwerner@dralegal.org or 510-665-8644, ext. 138

All communications will be kept confidential.

Resources in the Community

Scholarship Opportunity – Joseph Roeder Assistive Technology (AT) Scholarship

NIB is pleased to announce the Joseph Roeder Assistive Technology (AT) Scholarship, which is a $2,500 grant to an individual who is blind, interested in pursuing education in computer science, information systems or a related field and pursuing a career in access technology.  The scholarship is named in memory of Joe Roeder, who served as senior access technology specialist at NIB from 1997 until his death in 2010.

Roeder had 40 years of experience in the fields of design engineering, electronic information systems, IT support services, training and business management, including experience as a mechanical and nuclear engineer at Bechtel Power Corporation.  He was instrumental in the development of Section 508 of the Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards, which requires all federal government agencies to provide accessible data and information for employees with disabilities.

Individuals to be considered for the scholarship are either entering their third or fourth year of college or graduate school, or are changing careers to pursue a career in assistive technology

All applications and additional documents must be submitted online no later than July 8, 2011 .  The top three candidates will be interviewed by phone during the week of July 22, 2011 and the winner will be announced on July 31, 2011 . For scholarship criteria and application, visit http://www.nib.org/content/scholarship-application

If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Gallagher at 703-310-0343 or kgallagher@nib.org

LightHouse News

Chemistry Camp Featured on KQED

KQED Radio (88.5 FM) today aired a piece about the 2011 Chemistry Camp for blind high school students held April 29 to May 1 at Enchanted Hills. The three-day session was offered by the LightHouse in collaboration with the National Federation of the Blind of California, the California Association of Blind Students and the University of California, Davis Chemistry Department.


QUEST on KQED Public Media.

To read a text version of the story, please go to http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2011/05/20/blindchemistrycamp/.

LightHouse News

Audio Files and CDs of Mail-In Ballot Available

By Brian McCallen, LightHouse guest blogger

Attention Pleasanton and Union City visually impaired voters! Multilingual audio files and CDs of ballots in English, Chinese and Spanish are available for the upcoming May 3rd Vote by Mail Special Election.

Both New Haven and Pleasanton Unified School Districts have measures on the ballot. Union City’s Measure B and Pleasanton’s Measure E ask citizens to vote on a parcel tax to protect the public schools from state budget cuts and preserve quality education.

To listen to the ballots online, go to http://www.acgov.org/rov/next.htm. Click on either English, Chinese or Spanish under the “AUDIO FILES” section to download clips of the summaries, analysis, arguments, rebuttals and full text of each measure. You’ll need the free Windows Media Player to play the files.

I listened to the ballot for Measure E. The sound effects helped me recognize the transition from one segment of the ballot to the next.

The CDs are available at the Alameda County Registrar of Voters, 1225 Fallon Street, Room G-1, in Oakland, or you can request them by calling 510-272-6973.

For more details on the special election and related information, visit http://www.acgov.org/rov/.

LightHouse News, Resources in the Community

Scholarship Opportunity for Bay Area College Students

The Dale M. Schoettler Scholarship for Visually Impaired Students was established in 1991 for legally blind San Francisco State and San Jose State University students to receive a quality education in pursuit of a professional career in business, humanities, arts and the sciences.

After Mr. Schoettler’s death in 2001, California State University received a $4.8 million bequest from his estate to expand the existing financial aid program for legally blind students to all 23 CSU campuses. Mr. Schoettler, who was blind the last eight years of his life, was a businessman from Mountain View, California.

Selections and nominations for the 2011-2012 academic year are due May 20, 2011.

Forty-four scholarships of $6,000 each will be awarded for the 2011-2012 academic year. Here are the requirements:

  • Applicants must currently have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 on a 4.0 scale and must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.8 on a 4.0 scale during the academic year in which the award is received.
  • Applicants must be currently enrolled as a full-time equivalent CSU undergraduate or graduate student in any major field and must remain a full-time equivalent CSU student during the academic year in which the award is received.
  • Applicants must be legally blind and provide verification from a physician that includes best-corrected visual acuity notations.

For more information, contact Todd Higgins, toddh@sfsu.edu, 415-338-2472 (voice/TTY).

LightHouse News, Resources in the Community

A Site for Healthy Eyes

1 Commenton A Site for Healthy Eyes

By Brian McCallen, LightHouse guest blogger

“Natural Eye Care” is a new and exciting site for healthy eyes! Based on the easy-to-follow book, this insightful web resource covers nutritional, diet and lifestyle approaches for some of the most common eye conditions, including floaters and macular degeneration.

Ten years ago, I suffered from a retinal detachment in my one good right eye. Just recently, I learned about “Natural Eye Care” and, just out of plain curiosity, used the site to search for natural tips that may possibly prevent another detachment. The advice of daily aerobic exercise, anabolic pills along with the elimination of fatty foods to reduce potential retinal toxins gave me a wakeup call to cut back on the burgers at my favorite fast food joint and take more classes at my local health club in order to protect my eyesight.

Related research, articles, videos, health conditions and much more fill the breadth of information in this valuable resource there are even sites where you can learn about other supplements that help with health conditions. So go to http://www.naturaleyecare.com/ now and learn how to maintain your good eye health today!